New Beginning
by lishbug
Summary: What if Alex and Liv new each other when they first started out.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: this is not in the "universe" of my other writing. I decided it was time to tell a different story. I'm easing back into writing. Lets see how I do. I hope for the story to pick up momentum as the story progresses. Enjoy. Lish

A New Beginning

Olivia Benson stood on stage and looked down at the sea of faces. Her mother was not there. She stood straighter, raised her right hand with the rest of the graduating cadets and pledged to serve the city of New York as an officer of the law.

This was it. The moment she'd been waiting for since high school. She was a police officer.

2 weeks later

"HEY! Watch it!" an irritated cabbie shouted as Olivia slammed the door of the cab.

She stalked off toward her building. Her uniform shirt was un-tucked and partially unbutton revealing the white t-shirt below. All she wanted to do after the particularly bad shift was go take a long hot shower, change and order pizza. The weekend was hers, she hoped, after working for 14 straight days. The day after graduation she began her first shift. Her partner was alright but the rest of the squad had been putting her through her paces.

As she rounded the corner to the entrance of her building she hit something. A someone who was falling forward. The mysterious tall person regained balance but lost the groceries.

Olivia gapped in horror as she watched the grey hooded figure in front of her drop a full bag of fruit, milk, bread and a box of Lucky Charms onto the sidewalk. She stooped to help the victim of her bad day clean up. Blue eyes caught her brown ones and she attempted a half smile.

"Here let me help you," she finally broke the embarrassing silence between them. Her voice sounded weak against the bustling city around them.

"No, really that's okay," the blonde spoke calmly but with a slight edge.

Olivia stood and offered the woman her hand, the woman took it and stood. "Thank you"

"Please don't thank me."

They walked into the building together and rode the elevator both exiting on the 3rd floor. They walked to opposite ends of the hall. Olivia watched as the mysterious blonde road block disappeared behind door number 3.

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After taking a steaming shower, Olivia pulled on a pair of police academy sweatpants and an old Siena zip-up hoodie over a tank. She fished around for some money and waited mostly impatiently for her pizza to arrive.

Her mind drifted to the mysterious blonde that she literally ran into over an hour ago. Who was she? Why hadn't she noticed her before. Olivia had just moved into the apartment 2 weeks ago. Previously she had been living on campuses, at Siena and then at the academy. She massaged the back of her neck with her left hand as she thought.

There was a knock at the door indicating the arrival of dinner. She paid the young man and took the box from him. She stood in the doorway and her gaze drifted down the hall to Apartment 3. She shut the door behind her and her feet just carried her without any prompting from her brain right in front of door number 3.

Olivia knocked twice in rapid succession. After the day she put in, she had to restrain her self from shouting police.

The blonde opened the door after a couple of seconds and peered at Olivia over a pair of black frames. She lifted a finger to push them further up her nose and cocked her head to the side.

"Can I help you," she said after a minute.

"Well, I just thought that I would offer a peace offering for earlier." Olivia said as she lifted the box higher to indicate the pizza.

"What kind?"

"Just cheese."

The blonde pursed her lips for a second, then smiled. Olivia decided right then that the smiling blonde was something she could see every day and never grow tired of.

"My favorite and I'm starved. This crazy cop ran into me and made me drop my dinner all over the sidewalk earlier."

"How rude." Olivia smiled.

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"I suppose I should introduce myself now that I've almost flattened you and have now invited myself over for dinner."

"That would be nice, mysterious stranger."

"Olivia Benson, but my friends call me Liv," Liv held out her hand.

"Alexandra Cabot," Alex took Liv's hand and squeezed it lightly.

Olivia looked at their joined hand and smiled. For some reason it felt right.

The two women settled on the couch with the pizza box between them. Alex brought in some soda from the kitchen and they munched on their dinner as they made small talk.

Olivia looked around the room and noticed stacks of books and journals in various piles. They all had some kind of law themed name.

"Student?" Olivia asked.

"Just finished Law school, preparing for the bar," Alex answered as she pulled a second piece from the box.

"Ahh working for the other side then?"

"What? No… Prosecution. I'm working grunt work in the DA's office. I have a spot once I pass the bar."

"Oh nice, one of the good guys then," Olivia smiled.

"Most of the time."

Olivia stood and streached.

"Its been great but I really have to get to bed, its been a long day. At least I have tomorrow off."

"You interested in brunch at that place on the corner?"

"Brian's Café?"

"Yeah."

"Sure," Olivia smiled and picked up the pizza box to take to the dumpster in the morning.

"I'll see ya then."

Olivia smiled and waved as she went through the door.

Ssssssss

What happens at the diner? How do things progress? Stay tuned.

I know this chapter is short, but after such a long absence I'm finding it difficult to get momentum.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Olivia woke to the sound of her phone ringing. She couldn't find it immediately and knocked it off the night stand. After blindly searching the floor for it with no success she rolled out of bed and knelt on it, wincing in pain.

"Benson," she choked out.

"Olivia I hate to bother you. We have a kid down here at the station house and he's not talking. 4 years old, witnessed his mom being assaulted. Could you come down and talk to him, I know its your day off, but put in the time and you'll get over time."

"Yeah, I'll come down," Olivia sighed as she replied to her Sergeant.

Olivia stood up and quickly ran into the bathroom to shower and throw on a uniform. She scribbled a note to Alex and on her way out slipped it under her door.

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Meanwhile

Alex skidded to a stop before running over a small duck family that was crossing the running path in the park. She smiled to herself as the ducks sped up and splashed into the pond a few feet away.

Alex loved running in this park, it had little reminders of her grandparents house in the Adirondacks when she was a child. She hoped to make it up there in July. Her Father had inherited it from his mother after her death a few years before. They were planning a large gathering this summer.

Rousing herself from her musings Alex continued on her run. She was meeting her neighbor Olivia for breakfast at Brian's Café soon and was planning on finishing her run there.

A half hour later she entered the café and smiled to the waitress behind the counter before taking a seat by the window. She ordered a cup of coffee and waited.

One hour and three cups of coffee later she left. Upon entering her apartment she noticed the note on the floor.

Alex, I was called in to interview a kid. I'm so sorry I won't be able to make it to breakfast. I'll try and stop by when I get done. Again, I'm so sorry. I hope you have a nice morning. ~ Liv

Alex nodded as she headed to the shower. Maybe its not meant to be, she thought to her self.

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Olivia entered the station house and was met by Officer Deral and Sergeant Brant, her boss. Officer Deral was the middle aged cop who'd been trying to interview the boy.

"We thought a woman might be a better fit for this kid," Deral answered her questioning look.

"And I'm the only woman cop on the pay roll," she replied.

"Olivia, I wanted you. I think you might be able to get through to him," Brant intervened before words or more could fly.

"Okay, lead the way," she gave in.

Brant lead Olivia down the hall and into a little room with a couch and chair and table. It was kind of a break room, with a large mirror on one side. The boy was sitting on the couch, with a coloring book and crayons sitting untouched in front of him. This was suppose to be the kids interview room. It wasn't very friendly.

Olivia shut the door and sat next to the boy on the couch.

He looked at her without moving his head.

She pulled the book and crayons toward her. She flipped through the book and found a picture of a monkey swinging from a tree at the zoo. She opened the box of crayons and carefully chose a green stick of wax. She started with the grass. Taking her time to shade the colors just so, she continued to color the fence, sun, rocks and tree. She studied the monkey for a few seconds before pulling a purple crayon out of the box.

They boy had been watching her more closely the longer she colored. He was now sitting thigh to thigh with her and enjoying the picture as it took shape, sucking on his two middle fingers of his left hand.

As she started to turn the monkey purple he began to giggle with two fingers in his mouth.

"What?" Olivia asked, "You've never seen a purple monkey?"

The boy shook his head.

She finished the picture and carefully tore out the page. She placed it in front of him.

"What's your name big guy, so I can write it on the page here."

"Mikey" Olivia wrote - to Mikey, from Olivia - on the top of the page

"My name is Olivia."

"livia," the boy repeated barely taking the fingers out of his mouth.

"Yeah, that's right. I heard you had a bad morning."

Mikey nodded his head.

"Do you want to tell me about it."

Mikey nodded again, "Mommy got hurt."

"Did you see what happened?"

Mikey crawled into Olivia's lap and drew his fingers out of his mouth. Olivia held him close to her.

"The tall man with blonde hair hit her and knocked her down. She cried. I was scared and hid under my bed until the police came," He reinserted his fingers into his mouth.

"Did you call the police?"

Mikey shook his head and started to drift off to sleep. The stress of the morning started taking a toll on the young boy.

Olivia waited a few minutes to be sure he was asleep before laying him on the couch and leaving the room.

She entered the observation room where her boss had been watching.

"You might have a future in this," he said with a smile.

"In what? Broken kids?"

"No, In Special Victims," he said with a serious tone. "That isn't enough to get much of a description but at least we got him talking. I don't think we will need you anymore, if you want to finish your day off. I'll sign off on your over time," he switched topics.

Olivia looked back through the one way glass at the boy. A woman came in for him then, she had the same dark hair and sad eyes.

"We called his Aunt. She is going to take care of him until his mom is out of the hospital," Sergeant Brant motioned his hand toward the departing pair.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday then," Olivia watched the pair, her heart breaking for the little boy.

Olivia looked at her desk on her way to the door out of the bullpen and decided to sit down and do the paperwork on the interview before going home. She didn't want to put it off until Monday, in case she forgot.

One interview's paperwork turned into emptying her inbox. While it wasn't that full it did have there for another hour and half.

"Liv time to go," Brant said as he patted her on the shoulder.

Olivia looked up and nodded. She stood, stretched and strode out of the building. She hailed a cab and gave her address. She looked at her watch and noticed it was just after noon.

After paying the cabbie she walked to the corner to buy two hot dogs from the vender there. She filled an empty dish with relish and mustard. The vender handed her a cardboard tray to put her loot in. She thanked him and tipped him, before heading back to her apartment building.

She took the stairs to the third floor, taking them two at a time on the last flight.

Olivia stood at the blonde's door and stared at it for what seemed like minutes before deciding to knock, she didn't want to loose her nerve.

She tapped lightly on the door and waited a few seconds before her nerve did run out. She turned to walk back to her own door.

"Olivia?" Alex called out causing Olivia to stop mid step halfway down the hall.

"Um, yeah, hi. I thought since I had to miss breakfast I would offer lunch."

"Hmm, hot dogs. Come on in." Alex stepped back out of the door way.

Olivia walked back up the hall and cautiously entered the blonde's apartment.

She wasn't usually so nervous but there was something about this mysterious neighbor that just did her in. She just couldn't quite get her game face on.

Alex took the tray from Olivia and walked into the kitchen. Olivia followed. The apartment was in a disarray, there were even more books and journals everywhere in various states of open.

"Sorry about the state of the place. I've been studying all morning. The bar is in 3 weeks."

"It's okay."

Alex set the tray on the table and the two women sat down. Between bites they talked much like the night before.

Alex enjoyed listening to Olivia tell about the adventures of the first 2 weeks of rookie hood. The fact that she was still in uniform helped, it fit her well.

After the hotdogs had been gone for a while Olivia stood up.

"I was thinking about catching a movie tonight. You're welcome to come, if you have time. I mean if you can take a break from studying."

"Olivia, stop, you're too cute. If I study til then I'll be fine. I'd love to go."

Olivia smile, "good, good. I'll come back at 7 we'll catch what ever show is playing when we get there?"

"Sounds good."

"Great, I'll see you later."

A/N: Here is the next chapter. Next time: is it a date? What happens next? Is Mikey okay?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: been a long time, but here is another chapter

Alex and Olivia stood in the hall between their apartments.

They had just returned from seeing a cute movie about a mouse who cooks. It was the only thing starting within 20 minutes of their arrival at the theater. After the show they went for coffee at Brian's Café and sat talking for another 2 hours.

Now, it was well after midnight and they didn't want to go their separate ways.

"I should go, I have to study in the morning with a group," Alex final broke the silence that was filling the space between them.

"Yeah, well thanks for accompanying me to the movies." Olivia replied, her hands firmly jammed into her pockets.

"It was fun, thanks for getting me away from the books for a while."

"Any time. Good night Alex."

"Good night Olivia."

They each wandered off to their own apartments.

As she shut her door Olivia thought of what Alex might be doing, taking off her jacket and shoes, surveying her books and deciding whether to study any more that night or just go to sleep.

Olivia took off her own jacket and shoes and then crashed onto her couch. A little TV before bed might help her sleep, thinking of her blonde neighbor certainly wasn't going to do the trick.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Sun filtering through the living room curtains were the first thing to invade her sleep. The second was the distinct smell of Coffee wafting under her nose. Olivia opened her eyes with a start.

She had fallen asleep on the couch. The TV was off. Coffee was cooking? There was a blanket over her. Aunt V.

Aunt V, or Aunt Verona, came over every Sunday for breakfast. She wasn't really her mother's sister but Olivia had always called her Aunt V. She was Serena's best friend. She was more of an aunt to Olivia than her mother had ever been a mom.

Olivia snuggled into the couch further and let her self drift in a half asleep half awake state.

"I know your awake," a soft kind voice said from across the room.

"I don't want to be. I was having the most wonderful dream."

Olivia opened her eyes and noticed that a cup of coffee had been placed on the table and Aunt V was now sitting in the arm chair with her argyle sock clad feet propped up on the ottoman.

Olivia sat up, she could feel her hair sticking up but didn't care. She drew the blanket around her shoulders and drew her feet up onto the couch. The coffee was still too hot to sip so she held it between her hands. The heat of it fending off the morning chill that had invaded the living room.

V sipped her coffee gingerly.

"Who is she?" V asked with a smile.

"You always could tell when there was someone."

"Always, now spill."

"Her name is Alex. She lives down the hall. She's studying for the bar."

"Is she pretty?"

"Stunning."

"Smart and stunning, she sounds perfect."

"So far."

"How long have you been seeing her."

"I'm not."

"You will be."

The conversation lulled for a moment. During that time a knock on the door crashed off the mostly empty walls of the apartment.

Olivia looked at the door and frowned. She untangled herself and stood, keeping the blanket draped around her. She opened the door without looking through the spy hole.

Alex stood looking back at Olivia across the threshold. A grin appeared on her face after taking in the state of the other woman.

"Just get up?" Alex smirked.

"No…yes," Olivia stammered.

"I brought bagels. You've bought me 2 meals and I thought I would treat you to one."

"I thought you had to study this morning?"

"I did. Its 11. We meet early for breakfast and then part ways at 10:30. Its our Sunday thing." Alex said peering over Olivia's shoulder into the apartment.

"Oh… right. Come in. Please," Olivia said as she stepped back.

Alex entered the apartment. As she got closer she noticed V sitting in the living room.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You have company."

"Oh dear please come in, I'm not company just Liv's old Aunt V. There is plenty of Coffee for us all." V stood and went to the kitchen to get a third mug of coffee. Also to give the two younger women a moment.

Alex and Olivia watched her move into the other room.

"Please come in, join us. We were just chit chatting. V comes over every Sunday."

Alex kicked off her shoes and entered the living room. She sat on the couch when Olivia gestured to it. Olivia then sat down beside her.

"Look…" "I need…" They both started speaking at once. They smiled at each other.

"You first since you knocked this time," Olivia smiled picking up her mug again.

"I need to tell you something, so you don't get the wrong idea or anything."

"Okay," Olivia replied cocking her head to one side to better take in what the beautiful woman in front of her had to say.

"I'm gay. I just wanted to throw that out there before this friendship got any further and I don't have that many friends in the city still." Alex took a pause to breath.

"That's good to hear," Olivia said with a smile.

"That I don't have friends!" Alex said in horror.

"no, the other part," Olivia laughed.

"Oh," Alex said looking up from her hands that she had started to clasp and unclasp.

"Oh," she said again as she registered the smirk on Olivia's lips.

"Mhm," Olivia took a sip of her coffee.

"Oh no," Alex buried her face in her hands. A muffled voice proclaimed, "I really just did that didn't I."

Olivia could see the pink flush peaking out from behind the blonde's hands.

"Yup," Olivia said still smirking. "You did, but if it makes you feel any better, it only adds to your charm."

Alex groaned into her hands.

V returned from the kitchen just then and placed a fresh mug on the table for Alex.

"Is she okay," V asked concerned.

"I'll be fine," Alex unburied her face and took a sip of her coffee the burn feeling good.

"At least you haven't run away," Olivia said.

"My legs feel numb, I'm afraid I'd fall otherwise I would have been gone at no"

V watched the two of them sit beside one another on the couch, coffee in their hands, Olivia's hair all tussled.

The silence was deafening as the three women sipped their drinks.

V looked at the clock on the cable box and stood.

"I should be going, I promised I'd check on your mother this afternoon."

Olivia started to get up, but V motioned for her to stay.

"Tell mother I said hello." Olivia called to V in the entry.

"I will do. And Alex. It was lovely meeting you. I hope to see more of you."

With that V was out the door and the two younger women were left alone on the couch.

"Me too." Olivia said softly.

"You too what?"

"Hope V gets to see more of you."

Alex placed her head on Olivia's shoulder and smiled. New friendships were wonderful, especially when they held a promise of more.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Two and a half weeks later.

2 days till the Bar Exam.

Alex stood in the middle of her living room looking at the chaos. There were piles of case files everywhere. Law books open on all visible surfaces. Dirty socks, a blanket and a paper plate littered the floor beside the couch. A half a glass of water on the end-table and various other out of place things.

With hands on her hips she contemplated what to do first. If she studied one more case law she was going to rip her eyes out. So she decided to tidy up the living room first this morning. She was only working quarter time at the DA's office this week. She had the time built up. She wasn't needed between now and the first of next week, so cleaning and studying where in order. Perhaps seeing Olivia also, It had been a few days since the pair had spent time together. Or not, the Bar…

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Olivia had been working crazy hours, sometimes double shifts. She would come home and go right to bed. The last time they went out, it got interrupted by her getting called into work to cover a shift for a sick officer. It had only been a month, but beat work was getting to her. Promotion was a ways off at this point. She wondered as she sat in the passenger seat of the patrol car if she would see Alex tonight.

They had been going out as friends a few times over the last few weeks. Olivia wanted that to change soon, but now just wasn't the right time. Alex was busy studying for the Bar, perhaps once she was finished with that.

Maybe Olivia would pick up some food and take it to Alex for dinner. Showing up at the door with food always earned Olivia a kiss on the cheek. She'd take what she could get at this point.

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7pm rolled around and Olivia stood posed to knock at Alex's front door when it suddenly opened and a tall young man stood there looking surprised.

"I'm sorry I thought you were Emily! I heard someone out here."

"No, just Olivia, Alex's neighbor, I brought her dinner but I see that she has company."

"Oh, you're Olivia. I'm Brent. We had an impromptu study session this afternoon and Emily left to get food, I've been waiting to get the door for her." he spoke quickly, trying to explain the situation.

"Its fine, just tell Alex I was here, good Luck with the Bar Brent." Olivia turned to leave.

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Alex returned from the Bar Exam, exhausted, but she was finally done. But right now she was mentally drained, prepared for a bath, Beethoven, and brew. When she approached the door to her apartment, key in hand, she noticed a single rose taped to the door, with a note.

"I know you must be exhausted, but please come over whenever it is you get home." -O

A small smile spread across her lips and she carefully pealed the rose off her door and brought it to her nose. It was real and smelled wonderful. She hadn't actually seen Olivia in almost a week now. They had exchanged notes under doors and messages on phones, but both were so busy.

A little spark of energy had her moving to Olivia's door. She knocked with two soft raps on the door and waited, rose in hand.

Alex smelled the door opening before she saw it. Garlic, tomato, snuck out the door and wrapped Alex in a warm soft glow. Olivia's face was framed in the door a fraction of a second later. Alex felt like crying she was so tired, happy and hungry. Olivia stepped aside so Alex could step inside. She kicked off her shoes and Olivia took her coat.

Olivia returned a moment later and wrapped Alex in a hug. Alex rested her head on Olivia's shoulder and breathed her in. Perfection.

"I thought you could use a good home cooked Italian meal tonight."

Alex nodded.

As Olivia started to pull away, Alex cupped her chin, pulled her back in and placed a tender kiss on her mouth.

"Mmmm," Olivia hummed, her eyes closed, as Alex finally did pull away.

"I could get use to hearing that sound."

Olivia couldn't speak. She'd planned this whole night out, the kiss came later. She wasn't one to complain though. The kiss could certainly come now.

Olivia leaned in to kiss her and Alex held on to her belt loops, keeping her close.

"We could go sit down," Olivia said after a moment.

"No, not yet. I've been waiting for this."

"Me too."

Finding the right moment pays off.

A/N: it may seem a bit rushed, but this is not the end. Think of it as snapshots more than a flowing story, I'm trying all kinds of new stuff with this story. This chapter is my Christmas present to you. So they are together now… dating as a romantic, kissing, couple. Now what. What happens. How do they get to the career we know them in. stay tuned.


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